Thai Basil Chicken, known in Thailand as Pad Krapow Gai, is flavourful, satisfyingly spicy, and lightning-fast to prepare.
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Pad Krapow Gai isn’t just delicious; it’s a representation of Thai culinary ingenuity packed with local fiery chilies, pungent garlic, umami-rich sauces, and a generous handful of fragrant basil. It is the ultimate comforting street food.
Why You’ll Love Thai Basil Chicken
- Quick & Easy: From prep to plate in under 30 minutes! Seriously, it’s faster than takeout.
- Flavour Bomb: A perfect balance of salty, spicy, savoury, and aromatic.
- Minimal Cleanup: One wok or large skillet is all you really need.
- Customizable Heat: Love it mild? Dial back the chilies. Crave a fiery kick? Go wild!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Minced Chicken: This recipe focuses on using minced chicken, which is the traditional and most efficient way to make Pad Krapow Gai. Thigh meat will be more tender and flavourful due to higher fat content or use chicken breast.
- Holy Basil (Grapow) OR Thai Sweet Basil: It has a unique peppery, almost clove-like flavour. If you can’t find it, Thai sweet basil (the kind with purple stems often labeled “Thai basil”) is an excellent substitute, offering a lovely anise-like aroma. Regular Italian basil is NOT recommended, as the flavour profile is entirely different.
- Thai Bird’s Eye Chilies: Adjust to your spice preference. For a milder version, remove the seeds.
- Aromatics: Garlic, Ginger, Red Onion or Shallots
- Sauce: Oyster Sauce, Ligh and Dark Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce (backbone of Thai cuisine), Bown Sugar, and Salt
- Cooking Oil: Sesame, Canola, or Vegetable Oil
- Green Onion or Scallions are an optional addition.
Are you a chicken lover?
How To Make Thai Basil Chicken
1) Prepare Your Mise en Place:
- The Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
- The Basil: Pick the basil leaves from the stems. Wash and gently pat dry.
2) The Stir-Fry Begins (High Heat is Key!):
- Heat oil in a wok till it starts smoking.
- Add the half of the garlic, ginger, onion and fresh chilli. Stir-fry rapidly for about 20-30 seconds until very fragrant. Be careful not to burn it!
3) Add the Minced Chicken:
- Add the minced chicken to the wok. Break it up with your spatula and stir-fry vigorously.
- Cook until the chicken turns pale white, releases juices, and is mostly cooked through. This should take 5 to 6 minutes.
4) Sauce it Up!
- Pour the prepared sauce mixture, salt, and remianing garlic over the cooked chicken.
- Continue to stir-fry on high heat, tossing everything together. The sauce will thicken slightly and coat the chicken beautifully. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is well incorporated and slightly reduced.
- Add the generous handful of basil leaves. Toss them quickly through the hot chicken until they just wilt. The residual heat will cook them perfectly without overcooking.
Thai Basil Chicken is ready to serve!
Serving Suggestion
Pad Krapow Gai often eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, highlighting its versatility and widespread appeal.
Served over fluffy jasmine rice (essential for soaking up all the delicious sauce), it transports you straight to the bustling streets of Bangkok.
If you haven’t already included these, they are considered essential for the authentic experience:
- Thai Fried Egg (Kai Dao): A “lacey” deep-fried egg with a runny yolk. The yolk acts as a rich sauce that tempers the spice of the chilies.
- Prik Nam Pla: The ultimate Thai condiment. It’s a mix of fish sauce, lime juice, chopped bird’s eye chilies, and sometimes garlic. A tiny spoonful over your rice changes everything.
- Cucumber Slices: Simple, unseasoned, thick-cut slices of cold cucumber to provide a cooling crunch between spicy bites or a Thai Cucumber Salad.
- Som Tum (Green Papaya Salad): The classic choice. Its shredded texture and high acidity (from lime and tamarind) refresh the palate.
Love Thai food? Here are a few of my favourites I make on repeat – Thai Coconut Soup, a sweet and spicy Chicken Pad Thai, and ofcourse the flagship dish Thai Red Curry.
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Thai Basil Chicken Recipe
Thai Basil Chicken, known in Thailand as Pad Krapow Gai, is flavourful, satisfyingly spicy, and lightning-fast to prepare.
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Servings: 2 adults
Calories: 541kcal
Ingredients
- 500 gram minced chicken
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (divided)
- ½ tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 Thai red eye bird's chilli, sliced
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- salt to tastes
- 1 packed Thai basil leaves
- 1 sprig green onion or scallion, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok till it starts smoking. Add the half of the garlic, ginger, onion and fresh chilli. Stir-fry rapidly for about 20-30 seconds until very fragrant. Be careful not to burn it!
- Add the minced chicken to the wok. Break it up with your spatula and stir-fry vigorously. Cook until the chicken turns pale white, releases juices, and is mostly cooked through. This should take 5 to 6 minutes.
- Pour the prepared sauce mixture, green onion, and remianing garlic over the cooked chicken.
- Continue to stir-fry on high heat, tossing everything together. The sauce will thicken slightly and coat the chicken. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is well incorporated and slightly reduced. If you want it extra saucy, at this stage, add the stock plus cornstarch slurry.
- Add the generous handful of basil leaves. Toss them quickly through the hot chicken until they just wilt. The residual heat will cook them perfectly without overcooking.
- Serve Thai Basil Chicken with jasmine rice.
Recipe Notes:
- Taste and Adjust: Thai cooking is all about balance. Taste your finished dish and adjust with a pinch more sugar, a splash more fish sauce, or a dash more lime juice (optional, but lovely!) if needed.
- Don’t Skimp on the Basil: The dish is named after it! Use a good amount for maximum flavor.
- Wok Hei (Breath of the Wok): This smoky flavour comes from cooking at very high temperatures. Use your highest heat setting and don’t overcrowd the pan. If your pan cools down, the chicken will steam instead of stir-fry.
- Prep Everything First: Stir-fries move fast, so have all your ingredients measured, chopped, and ready to go before you even turn on the heat.
- Extra Saucy: If you want it slightly more saucy, combine ½ Cup of chicken stock with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, make a slurry, and add it to the chicken towards the end. Allow it to simmer for 2 – 3 minutes to thicken.
- Season Cautiously: All the sauces have enough saltiness in them. Hence, add extra salt to the dish cautiously.
Nutrition
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1886mg | Potassium: 1479mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
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